


genie

by kain_art



Category: Banana Fish (Anime & Manga)
Genre: Ash Lynx Lives, Birthday, Fluff and Feels, M/M, basically crime date, because its his birthday, eiji is sassy af, shorter wong (mentioned) - Freeform, they're basically dating but they don't know it, wong found family <3
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-08-12
Updated: 2020-08-12
Packaged: 2021-03-05 19:55:13
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 5,810
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25850923
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/kain_art/pseuds/kain_art
Summary: "So, Mr. Older And Wiser, where're you takin' me today?""Well, I tried looking for places to go all over New York, but I know nowhere we go would surprise you, so... for today, I'll be your genie.""You're gonna grant me some wishes? Gotta hand it to 'ya Eiji, that's not very original." Ash drawls, actually quite entertained by the idea.Eiji glares, "Well, it's your fault for knowing too much about everything! If you would rather I did not --""Hey, hey! Calm your blood sugar, gramps, I was just kidding. Three wishes sound..." Ash smirks at Eiji, already having a pretty great wish in mind. "Okay, first order of business --""No.""I didn't even say anything yet.""You didn't have to. Any discussions about natto are off the table."
Relationships: Ash Lynx & Okumura Eiji, Ash Lynx/Okumura Eiji
Comments: 11
Kudos: 112
Collections: Ash Lynx Day 2020





	genie

"You know that's _my_ coffee, right?"

Ash just smirked behind the rim of the mug. Eiji was staring at him from the table, newspaper tilted downwards just enough to reveal a frown.

"Aw, I'm so sorry, didn't even notice," the blonde purrs, words dripping with sarcasm, "but can you blame me? I thought you'd forgotten about it, judging by how deep your nose is buried in the paper."

Eiji huffed and turned away from him, pointedly focusing on the newspaper. "I am busy reading the horrorscope."

"It's 'horoscope'."

"That's what I said."

Ash just laughed before stealing another sip of Eiji's coffee, turning to face the window. He made it too sweet for his liking, but something about it being Eiji's made him want to have some. He stroked the rim absentmindedly as he considered his plans for the day. _Meeting with Alex, ammo shipment, meeting Max for any research updates, maybe the library..._

Eiji's eyes were burning holes into his back by this point, forcing Ash to turn around. "What's up with you, gramps?"

Eiji kept his eyes trained on Ash's, searching for something. Finally, he sighed, seeming displeased with his findings.

"You are not curious about the horrorscope? It says here that Leos should watch their manners around their elders this month... and that their lucky colour is pink."

Ash quirked a brow. "None of that stuff is real, Eiji, it's just there to fill a pointless gap in the newspaper, and in lonely people's lives." He turned towards the kitchen to put the mug in the sink before something clicked.

"Wait... how d'you know that I'm a Leo?"

It was Eiji's turn to quirk an eyebrow; he was unimpressed. "That's because you never told me when your birthday is, so I had to find out from _Alex_." He turns the page of the paper, but it's clear from the look of his shiny eyes that he's not reading a single thing.

Ash quickly moves next to him by leaning against the table, a hand on Eiji's knee. "Hey... it's not like I didn't want you to know or anything... it just never came up. Truth be told, I actually forgot it was right around the corner."

Eiji looks up at him with a deep sadness - not pity, but an instant understanding of why his birthday had been the furthest thing from his mind. It made Ash's heart squeeze with gratitude.

"Not just 'around the corner,' it's tomorrow!" Eiji started fiddling with the paper's edge, "and I guessed that you would not be interested in a big party, but, well... no, actually, it's fine. Sorry for making a big deal about it." Ash narrowed his eyes at Eiji's hesitance - he was normally too cheeky to beat around the bush like this...

"Are you asking me out on a _date_?" he says, unable to keep the incredulity out of his voice. A date... he couldn't even remember the last time he entertained such a thought, let alone with Eiji.

"No! I am not asking you anything, you ditzy American! I just - and it's only if you want to - I was wondering if you were free for a bit..." Eiji's cheeks redden with each word and he's still not looking at Ash. So, naturally, Ash pulls the paper away with ease and inserts himself in front of Eiji, hands on either side of the back of his chair.

"So, a date."

"Stop calling it that!" Eiji reddens even more, if possible, and slaps at Ash's arms weakly. It does nothing to quell his embarrassment.

Ash grins, bright and happy, and it's such a pure sight that Eiji would let him call an evening out whatever he wanted. Wouldn't deny him anything.

"Well, seeing as you're _dying_ to spend some time with me, I suppose I can shuffle some things around."

Eiji rolls his eyes, but doesn't say anything, cheeks still flushed. It makes Ash's smile perk just a bit more.

-

Ash gets back early in the morning, clothing tattered and slightly patchy with blood. Fortunately for him, Eiji's still asleep, cocooned in the blankets as a retort to the beginnings of sunlight streaming through the window. His hair peeks out atop the soft mountain, a little bird's nest. Ash tries to comb his fingers through it just enough not to wake Eiji.

But he stirs anyway, sitting up with furrowed brows, crusty eyes and drool on his face. _He's beautiful_ , Ash thinks, before pinching his cheek to fully wake him up. He jolts.

"Hap... birf-day," Eiji yawns widely, mind already forgetting Ash's pinch. Even when he's still dazed with sleep and can't talk right, he manages to be adorable. Ash takes Eiji’s wrist and circles the base with his thumb. "Thanks, sleepyhead. It's a little past six, you can go back to sleep if you want."

"Mmm, no! We must, uh, breakfast together! I buy your favourite salad, you know?" Eiji holds out his arms, almost like a child, and Ash pulls him up, holding him to his chest for a second. Whatever icy feelings he retained from his dealings last night melt away. Eiji pats his back, his words are little more than mumbles before he’s on his way to the bathroom, but Ash's heart races regardless. He wondered if it was ok to feel this happy.

By the time Eiji emerges out of the bathroom, Ash has changed and already brewed coffee for both of them, the small radio on the table quietly reciting the weather forecast. It’s a picturesque scene, and as Eiji passes Ash on the way to the kitchen, he squeezes his shoulder in appreciation. He retrieves the salad from the fridge and places it in front of him on the table.

“Happy birthday, Aslan.”

Ash digs in and tries to ignore the little pinpricks behind his eyes. He was _so_ not going to lose his cool this early in the morning.

"Fanks," he says in between bites. He keeps his head down because he can sense Eiji's fond smile directed at him, and he’s not trying to get himself killed by stealing a glance at it.

When he finishes, he asks a question that was niggling in his mind for a while. “What were all those things in the fridge for, by the way?”

“Surprise tools for later.”

“I see you’ve downgraded from _Sesame Street_ to _Mickey Mouse Clubhouse_.” Eiji just grins at him.

"So, Mr. Older And Wiser, where're you takin' me today?"

"Well, I tried looking for places to go all over New York, but I know nowhere we go would surprise you, so... for today, I'll be your genie."

"You're gonna grant me some wishes? Gotta hand it to 'ya Eiji, that's not very original." Ash drawls, actually quite entertained by the idea.

Eiji glares, "Well, it's your fault for knowing too much about everything! If you would rather I did not --"

"Hey, hey! Calm your blood sugar, gramps, I was just kidding. Three wishes sound..." Ash smirks at Eiji, already having a pretty great wish in mind. "Okay, first order of business --"

"No."

"I didn't even say anything yet."

"You didn't have to. Any discussions about natto are off the table."

Ash scoffs and crosses his arms. "Here I was, thinking you'd be nice to me on my own birthday. I guess elderly bitterness never ceases."

Eiji just giggles, reaches for Ash’s hand on the table and instantly the mood shifts. Having this sort of effect on a person should be illegal. "You must have a nice wish in your mind by now, yes?"

Ash's lip quirks. "Maybe.”

-

Ash is gone for most of the morning and early afternoon – unavoidable gang business. He apologises over and over to Eiji but he won’t hear it, and instead convinces Ash to let their evening together be an all-nighter. It involved a bit of buttering up, a bit of a cutesy act that Ash probably saw straight through, but didn’t comment on. Eiji took it as a sign of Ash being equally excited.

Plus, it helps that Ash’s absence provides the perfect window for Eiji to start baking the cake. Being the mother figure of some rowdy gang boys came in handy sometimes.

He grabs all the ingredients he made two trips for and endured a half hour mix of gossiping and ranting with his neighbours Judy Coleman and her wife, Margaret Owens. Chatty though they were, they pointed Eiji in the direction of their recommended cake ingredients and wished him good luck. The earnest encouragement of kind older women can be something so powerful.

Eiji briefly panics looking back at the recipe the couple gave him. He had little experience in baking sugary goods, and hoped that some of the deeply ingrained memories of cooking under the watchful eyes of his mother proved useful.

Cranking up _Cooking By The Book_ on his phone for confidence, Eiji gets to work. He turns the oven on after washing his equipment and flies through the initial steps; soon enough, he’s already mixing eggs into his batter. Aside from the nagging worry that he’s accidentally put too much flour in after flinching in shock when Lil Jon joined the song, it goes pretty well.

Eiji leaves the cake to bake for about half an hour and parks himself on the sofa, thinking of how he should decorate the cake. In all fairness, he probably should have had the idea already in mind, but gambled on being struck with inspiration during the process. No such luck.

He scrolls for what feels like hours before he comes across a decent base design. With a couple of tweaks, Eiji might just turn out with a really cute cake. And he’ll have Ash on his knees waxing poetic about what a talented cook he is, and maybe instead of making weird wife jokes _he’d actually put a ring on it_ —

Wait.

 _Waaaait_. Hold on a second there, Eiji.

What’s that all about?

He doesn’t have time to process and reflect on the thought before he catches the whiff of light smoke, right as the track loops back around to Lil Jon’s solo. He whips his head around in horror and dashes across the slippery pinewood floor onto the even less stable kitchen marble to salvage the cake. Luckily, though a bit tough, the cake seemed edible still.

Eiji sighed as he put the cake to the side in preparation for phase two. But he really, really needed to stop getting lost in these weird fantasies.

-

The sky was burning orange as Eiji followed Ash down a narrow alleyway. He looked at his surroundings; women smoking and being chatted up by older men, teenagers watching on in amusement as their friend gets rejected by one of the women. Eiji tugs the pink collar of his shirt self-consciously.

“Are you taking me to a strip club?”

“No, it’s _my_ birthday, not _yours_ , remember?” Ash chuckles, shifting to wrap an arm around Eiji’s shoulder, “I’m taking you to a club, and we’re gonna pretend to be strangers. And you’ll buy me a drink.”

Eiji looks up then, dumbfounded. “Hold on a second, like a loud, populated club? Who are you and what have you done with my Ash?”

“’Your’ Ash, huh. Bold words for someone who hasn’t even bought me a drink yet.” He pulls Eiji into yet another alleyway before they come across a large door and an intimidatingly tall bouncer. His eyes narrow as the pair approach him.

“Evening, Steven.”

Steven opens the door wordlessly, only nodding slightly in acknowledgement. As the pair enter, the scene before them is dark but flashes with colour to the beat of the DJ’s awfully loud music. People sit at booths or the bar, conversing somehow through the loud volume and their own drunk haze, while others danced. For his first wish, Ash wanted to be wooed at a crappy joint by someone who wasn't most likely a rapist.

All Eiji can think is ‘ _I don’t even know what drink he likes,’_ before finding himself plopped on a barstool. The lights were pretty bright here, and he strained to think of any alcoholic drinks he actually liked. Maybe he’d go for a rum and coke?

“You’re gonna order a rum and coke, aren’t you? Such a baby.” Ash chuckles, though not unkindly. Eiji puffs his cheeks.

“Actually, _stranger_ , I was planning on ordering a, um,” Eiji looks across the bar quickly and points at the drink belonging to a rather tough-looking patron, “that!”

“Alright. I’ll have whiskey, too, then.” Ash hands a bill to Eiji, hoping he isn’t making a mistake, and catches the eye of a much older-looking drinker sitting nearby. He stands up with a poor excuse for a flirty smile on his face, and Ash sighs inwardly. _Here we go_.

His breath reeks of beer as he extends a reddish hand. “The name’s Barry.”

“No.” Ash turns his head away, eager to look at anything other than the gleaming band on Harry or Larry’s finger and the predatory smile still on his face. He thinks he’s putting up a front.

He perches on the barstool that belongs to Eiji and leans against the counter. “You alone? A real shame, if so... you’re quite the looker, boy.” He inches closer, only a fraction of a distance from Ash’s upper arm. “Would you like to meet out back in five? You look like you’ve got a good mouth on ‘ya.”

Ash feels himself retching in his mind, hand itching to pull his .357 on the man. He’s slowly reaching behind his back, half considering it, when a voice calls from behind the obstructive figure of Barry.

“Excuse me sir, but I think he already said no.” It’s Eiji, voice cold and eyes burning something fierce. He holds two large glasses of whiskey in his hands, looking even smaller as Barry stands to regard him. Ash’s hand is secured around the base of his gun, thumb on the safety.

“Mind your business, China boy,” the drunkard snarls, “I’m busy –”

“Barry. Don’t make me call Steven.” The bartender says coolly, giving him a look as if it’s not the first time he’s had to threaten the man. “Or Miranda.”

Barry shoves Eiji harshly, drinks spilling a bit, and shuffles away to bother someone else. Ash gives the bartender a nod.

“You are ok?”

“Nothing I haven’t dealt with before,” Ash replies, but he’s not really present in that moment, mind devising a million different ways to make that fucker regret ever even looking at Eiji.

“Hey, hey...” Eiji coos, gently cupping Ash’s cheek, “I am fine. This is also nothing I have not dealt with before.” He winks, cute and goofy, which forces Ash to look at him.

He’s still nowhere near satisfied, but lets himself be placated. “You know that doesn’t make it ok, right?”

Eiji just sits at his barstool as the bartender tops off the glasses of whiskey. Ash sighs and rests his hand against his chin, deliberately taking him in, before asking, “So, what brings you to New York?”

-

They’re at least a dozen drinks in. Eiji is narrating some sort of story about an ex-roommate but Ash can’t focus too well; the lights of the bar flare and dance in Eiji’s dark eyes, and it’s mesmerising to watch. Eiji’s mannerisms when he’s drunk are quite refreshing too – for one, he swears a lot more.

“... And so I said, ‘Kazuya, I don’t _care_ if your cat is shitting red bean paste, that’s on _you_ for –“ Eiji cackles, then stops abruptly, “oh shit.”

Ash breaks out of his partly drunk, partly fascinated stupor and leans closer to Eiji. The urgency in his tone causes him to straighten up slightly. “What’s up, stranger?”

“My thinking trail... my mind. It’s all blank. What were we even talking about?”

“Umm...uh,” Ash stammered. He’d kind of just been watching Eiji’s face almost the whole time, so... “I think there was a cat involved. Somewhere.”

Eiji sniggered, looking even more dazzling than usual in the multi-colour bar lights. “Not as sharp as I pegged you for, stranger.”

Secondly, drunk Eiji is quite the flirt. It wasn’t so prominent then, on that Halloween night, when Ash thought he was bidding Eiji good night for the last time. Now, the dark-haired boy boldly brushed his hand against Ash’s thigh, or sometimes leaned his head against Ash’s shoulder when he couldn’t keep it up straight anymore. It was endearing in a way Ash was sure no one else could ever achieve.

Ash playfully shoves Eiji but instead of laughter, he hears the incoming noises of a man who is about to throw up. Ash rushes Eiji to the bathroom, sparing a second-long glance to the dance floor. Maybe another time.

As they’re coming out, Eiji is grumbling about the grotty condition of the bar bathrooms when Ash spots Barry again on the dance floor, brushing up against a younger, clearly uncomfortable woman. Ash’s blood boils.

He hands Eiji a bottle of water after sitting him at a booth, rubbing circles on his back, flicking between him and Barry. Eiji looks up at him gratefully, a bit more energetic.

“Let’s do it.”

Huh?

Ash’s mind is working so slow, his cheeks flush a bit at the first implication he reaches.

“You have been looking over my shoulder for that rude man when you thought I wasn’t looking. I know you have a plan, so let me help.”

Oh. Ash isn’t sure why he feels his chest soar yet also deflate so suddenly.

“You see, I would, but I’m pretty sure it’s far too illegal for you, Eiji.” Not for the first time, Ash starts to feel like a bad influence.

Eiji makes an unimpressed face. “You say this as though I am not tangled up in your world already,” he possessively clasps the soft material of Ash’s hoodie, “I am not a baby boy. I also want to get even, for the way he talked to you, and to me.” Eiji’s normally soft browns shoot daggers at the man as he tries and successfully ruins the stanky leg. Ash’s heart picks up a bit at this change in Eiji.

“Ok, ok, here’s the plan.” For his second wish, he and Eiji were going to make a boomer cry.

-

Eiji watches the door from the booth closest to the exit, revelling in the brief cold night air that sometimes travels in. His eyes trail back to Barry, who looks nearly too drunk to stand upright anymore. _Perfect_.

Finally, Ash is the one slipping back in casually through the exit. He nods his head. Eiji smiles before turning to the bar and giving the bartender, Vic, a thumbs-up.

Barry stumbles back to the bar to probably order yet another set of tequila shots when Vic gives him the boot. The older man splutters as though he’s the one being disrespected, rather than the various patrons who Vic explains complained about him. He storms off to the exit, renouncing the establishment as loud as he can but it doesn’t overpower the roar of the club music.

Ash and Eiji are waiting a little further from where Barry emerges out of the club. They lean against each other by the wall to hear better. At least, that’s the explanation they tell themselves.

The large force that is Steven the bouncer approaches Barry, who looks about to shit himself. They seem to be engaged in a deep conversation about Barry’s behaviour as Ash walks by, swiftly jacking his car keys from his back pocket, other arm around Eiji.

He sounds the car key for a beep, eyes falling on a tacky red Buick. It’ll have to do.

The pair dash towards the car as Barry turns around. He screams and tries to run to them, but Ash has already smoothly pulled out. He rolls the window down, and turns his face to the older man as he’s held back by a smiling Steven.

“She’s a real looker, man,” Ash says, and when Eiji reaches to honk the car, “got quite the mouth too.”

It’s the last thing he says before zooming into the night, a cheat who just got his shit wrecked left in the dust.

-

Maybe it’s the leftover tipsiness that makes them laugh as hard as they do while speeding through New York at night. Eiji feels his eyes fall on Ash each time a new laughing fit breaks, not like there’s anything else interesting to look at, and feels his chest fill with warmth. Ash catches him and straightens, face a bit red.

“Don’t think this means you’re part of the gang or anything, ok? I’m not trying to make a criminal of you just yet.”

Eiji turns his face towards his own open window, letting the chilly air fan his sweaty face, watching as buildings and lights zipped past. He doesn’t know why Ash is so fixated on this.

“Eiji. Look at me.” He keeps his eyes trained out the window before they arrive at a red light. “Please.”

“I am an adult, Ash. I can make my own choices. I chose to steal this car with you and drive it to... wherever we’re going.” _So please, stop worrying_.

Ash sighs and just fixes his eyes on the road. “A junkyard. We’re gonna dump it in a junkyard. It’s not far from here.”

“Is that all? We are not going to, uh, ‘trash the bitch’?”

Ash stares at Eiji, mouth hanging open. He is frozen, even as impatient car horns beep behind him. “Did Mickey teach you that? who are you, and what have you done with my Eiji?”

-

The two of them walk out of the junkyard; Ash looks as casual as if he’d just left a café after a delightful lunch, while Eiji is still wiping the sweat from his forehead.

“I think I pulled muscles I didn’t even know I had.”

“Well, that’s what happens you make a point of climbing on top of the car and just straight up swinging. Professionals stretch first. And use something stronger than a golf club.”

Eiji glowers. “You’re not much better, using just a regular bat and going for the windows. Such a cliché.”

Ash bumps his side against Eiji’s, who bumps back even harder. Eiji then slaps his arm, completely unprovoked, and runs away laughing. Ash is hot on his tail, unaware of the grin splitting on his own face.

-

Between all their rough-housing, they make it on to the subway. The air is stale and the car is mostly empty, save for a group of tired party girls and a mumbling homeless man. Eiji slouches against Ash, who stares out the train windows.

The moon shines ethereally, the stars that should frame it concealed by city smog. Eiji’s head lolls until it finds its place on Ash’s shoulder, snuggling into it like it’s home. Ash feels warm.

“Sorry, about earlier. I was being pushy. I know you only want to keep me safe.” Eiji mutters self-consciously into Ash’s hoodie, “I hope I did not put you off.”

“You could never put me off, Eiji.” Ash begins rubbing a slow rhythm into the palm of Eiji’s hand, resting in his lap. “You should know that by now.”

Eiji burrows his face deeper into Ash’s shoulder, almost reaching the crook of his neck. His ears are bright red, and it makes Ash grin. He wraps an arm around Eiji’s shoulder. “Say, d’you Japanese have any interesting folklore about the moon? All Americans know is that we apparently got there first, and that it could be made of cheese.”

The sudden topic change startles a laugh out of Eiji. “Well, some people believe there’s a lonely rabbit on the moon, but I think a more interesting one would be the Tale of Princess Kaguya.”

“Tell me,” Ash says softly. And so Eiji tells him of the trials of Princess Kaguya; her being uprooted from a simple life to be a pampered noble, and how it only brought her loneliness and anguish. Eiji talks of how she loved so deeply it hurt, that her eventual departure meant she could never be with anyone she cared for again. Ash’s grip on Eiji tightens.

“Am I like her?” he asks, and though Eiji supposes it is directed at him, it could just as well be Ash asking the moon itself. Ash sounded so far away that it broke Eiji’s heart.

Eiji’s head rolls a bit aimlessly against Ash’s shoulder; he’s so quiet that Ash believes he’s fallen asleep, until he stands from his seat suddenly. He moves in front of Ash to look down at him, head blocking the moonlight, and extends a hand. Ash raises an eyebrow in confusion. “Ei—”

“Dance. With me.” Eiji asks, a hint bashful but resolute, hand on a pole to steady himself. What other choice does Ash have but to appease him?

“Unfortunately, I cannot do the club dances,” Eiji says as he attempts a grossly contemporary move, “but we, we can just sway, I think?”

Eiji’s arms connect around Ash’s neck, whilst Ash gently holds Eiji’s waist. They’re quiet, moving as one. They can just about see each other in the flickering light, and they can feel the warmth of their hands, smell their shared strawberry shampoo, hear each breath against the other’s ear. Eiji shifts his arms from around Ash’s neck to his shoulders, reaching on his tiptoes to kiss Ash, but misses as the train jolts and lands on his chin instead.

It’s really not that funny, but they both crack up with laughter anyway, the tired party girls joining in and congratulating them. _Finally, it’s the sound I’ve been looking for._ As the laughter subsides, Eiji gazes into Ash’s eyes and cups his face, gently bringing it down to connect their foreheads.

“You can have everything. You will have it all, as long as I can give it to you. It probably won’t be enough but – but, you are not Kaguya. You are Ash, and you are loved by me. I won’t ever leave your side, if that’s okay with you. So, please... stay with me, too.”

The third wish Ash makes is probably his most selfish one.

“... Forever.”

It’s almost dawn.

-

The walk back to the apartment is surprisingly light. Eiji walks slightly ahead of Ash, and looks at him over his shoulder every minute or so. He keeps grinning like he’s in on a secret that only he is privy to.

“Like what you see, big bro?”

“I do.”

Ash flushes a bright pink. He starts to think that avoiding drunk Eiji (even if he’s mostly sober right now) might be better for his heart. He turns his head away but he already knows Eiji saw from the coy smile on his face. _Little bastard_.

The blonde speeds up his pace to catch up to Eiji, hip-checking him before speed-walking ahead. Eiji gets riled up, as expected. “I see you have decided to challenge an athlete to a race. Have it your way.”

Eiji dashes right by Ash, black hair a fluffy cloud around his face, brown eyes gleaming a competitive sheen. Ash isn’t one to back down from a challenge.

They manage to make it to the elevator in one piece, quietly arguing over who crossed the threshold first. Eiji, being the kind, generous human being he is, decides to let the birthday boy take this victory, even if he’s a hundred percent sure he won.

As Ash basks in his glory, Eiji takes the time to admire how the elevator light framed a halo around Ash’s head, green eyes sparkling with a rare childlike joy. The doors ding open as they reach their floor, and Eiji realises too late that he missed a good chance to kiss Ash properly.

Ash slips his hand into Eiji’s like it’s as natural as breathing. Alas, the key to the apartment is in the pocket of the hand Ash uses to hold Eiji’s. He’s about to twist his other hand awkwardly to reach for it when Eiji pulls it out of his pocket for him and unlocks the door. Ash is about to thank him when he rushes to the kitchen, not sparing a second to remove his shoes like he normally does.

Eiji calls for him to sit at the kitchen table and Ash obliges. Eiji brings out the box from earlier and places it in front of him, alongside a plate and some cutlery. Ash already guessed what it was, but he felt blessed all the same.

"Happy birthday to you, happy birthday to you, happy birthday dear Aslan... happy birthday to you." Eiji sings, complete with little _whoops_ and _hurrays_ as he lifts the lid off the box. “’Outan-joubi omedetou.’ This is how we say ‘happy birthday.’”

Ash’s American tongue stumbles over the words, and he doesn’t even realise he’s crying until Eiji thumbs a tear away. “Eat up. I put my heart into it!”

The blonde looks down and sees a large marzipan book right in the centre, a Japanese phrase decorated on it. Maybe it says happy birthday? The rest of the cake is made up of roses, which vary greatly in size. Overall, it’s a little asymmetrical and looks like diabetes in a single dish, but Ash wouldn’t have it any other way. It’s perfect.

He sniffles and clears his throat before speaking, “I love it... what does it say here?”

Eiji’s cheeks coloured slightly, “It’s something you asked me not too long ago.”

“’Why are you so short?’”

“The _other_ thing, genius.”

_Stay by my side?_

The tears Ash scrubbed away start falling twice as hard. Why was he—is he—so thoughtful? He didn’t deserve this.

Ash digs into the cake while scrubbing his eyes furiously with his sleeve. It’s so sweet and so strongly _Eiji_ that he feels almost guilty for eating it. Eiji stands up from beside him suddenly. “I forgot to grab a plate for myself, I want a taste—”

Ash tugs him down by the arm and as Eiji lets out a surprised squeak, he connects their lips. He tries to channel as much affection and gratitude as he can into the kiss, hoping Eiji could pick up even a fraction of it. His hands trail up Eiji’s shirt to grasp the back of his neck and pull him even closer, pushing his tongue past his lips. Eiji’s hands are hesitant, afraid to encroach on Ash’s personal space too eagerly, so they hold on to the ends of Ash’s hoodie. His consideration knows no bounds, and it makes Ash smile.

He pulls away first, though a panting Eiji chases his lips for more. They connect twice more before Eiji needs a breather.

The dark-haired boy can’t even look him in the face, but there’s a nervous grin stretching from ear to ear. “...It’s sweet.”

“Yeah.” Ash says, never taking his eyes off Eiji.

The two of them finish most of the cake themselves, and Eiji decides to store the remaining pieces in the fridge for when Kong and Bones swing by. He rubs at his eyes, he was never really one to pull all-nighters off. He returns to the living room and sees Ash is nowhere to be found, so he knocks on the bedroom door. “Ash? Are you decent?”

“Doesn’t matter,” he drones, sounding not even half as tired as Eiji. He opens the door. Ash is sitting on Eiji’s bed, wearing his usual sleep attire – almost nothing save for his boxers – and he looks a bit shy as he tells Eiji to come sit. “Thank you for inviting me to my own bed.”

“Can we talk?” Ash’s voice was soft with vulnerability. He stretched out a bit on the bed in an attempt to look less nervous, but it only made him look more fragile. Eiji mimics his pose but turns his body towards him. “Whenever you are ready, Ash.”

The blonde tangles his fingers with Eiji's, just looking at them for a bit, before looking him in the eyes. “I just, um, wanted to say thanks. For going along with everything tonight. I don’t know how you do it, honestly, I’m starting to wonder if you just have no sense of self-preservation.” Eiji smiles a bit at that, inwardly knowing he was only so reckless for the boy beside him.

“I haven’t—didn’t celebrate in such a long time. Not since the Wongs,” he runs a hand through his messy hair, “the three of us, we got up to some pretty crazy shit.”

“Oh yeah?”

“Yeah. It was Shorter’s plan – more like a tradition, really – we would go drinking at a club, I’d probably play wingman for one or both of them, then we’d go to the junkyard or somewhere within our territory and just mess stuff up and talk shit afterwards. Not your typical birthday, I guess.”

Eiji feels his eyes burn a bit. They hadn’t known each other long, but he and Shorter clicked from the start. He was a bright life-force Eiji was glad to have had the pleasure of meeting. Had he lived, he was sure he’d come to love him like a brother.

“I didn’t know Nadia was so daring.”

“She’s absolute chaos, that woman, she just happens to hide it well. I miss her, and I miss him too.”

Eiji reaches out and wraps his arms around Ash, gently pulling him down until they’re lying facing each other.

“Me too.”

Ash burrows his face into Eiji’s chest, and if he starts to feel a dampness, he doesn’t comment on it, only stroking Ash’s hair. He stays like this for a while, Eiji isn’t sure how long, but he spies the beginning of daylight from the gap between the curtains. His voice is coarse when he speaks again, only muttering _thank yous_ and _sorrys_. Eiji feels something crack in his chest as he presses a kiss atop his head.

“He loves you a lot, Ash. They both do. We all do,” Ash shifts to look up at him, eyes sparkling in the low light, “I am so happy everyday, because I get to wake up and see you first thing in the morning, and sometimes, when I’m lucky, you’re the last thing I see at night. Thank you for being here, for being born, Aslan.”

Ash just buries his head back in his chest, and Eiji sees the faint red emerge on his ears and part of his neck.

“...Eiji. When’s your birthday?”

Eiji makes a loud, obnoxious snoring noise, pretending to dodge the question. Ash squawks and tickles him.

“Oh-ho-okay, I’ll te-te-he-ll you!”

The tickling momentarily ceases, Ash listens expectantly. A mischievous (and kissable) smirk blooms across Eiji’s face.

“You can find out from Ibe-san!”

**Author's Note:**

> you can tell i don't know anything abt the series timeline or ny geography ♥️
> 
> anyways this is probably the longest thing i've ever written and it was done in 2 sittings,,, so apologies if its a bit weird
> 
> the wongs were a big time found family for ash and i will defend this with my life


End file.
